Coronavirus in the world: Germany cannot afford a new blockade, warned Merkel – World

From an economic point of view, Germany cannot afford a new shutdown, as in the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic in the spring. The situation must be addressed urgently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said according to world news agencies after a meeting with the prime ministers of federal states, in which additional measures were agreed against the spread of the coronavirus.

Hours after the talks, the Robert Koch Institute announced that 6,638 new people had been infected in 24 hours, an absolute record since the beginning of the pandemic and about 1,500 more than yesterday.

We have approved a budget that foresees new debt of more than € 250 billion this year alone. That is why we cannot afford, even economically, a second wave like the one in spring with the same consequences, Merkel said, adding that it is not just about the health system. The foreign minister stressed that the country is at a critical stage in the fight against COVID-19 and that the behavior of people in the coming weeks will be crucial.

At the meeting it was agreed to tighten the rules for the use of masks, as well as the bars in areas with high levels of pollution to close earlier. It is recommended that masks, which have been mandatory in public transport and shops since April, be mandatory in public spaces where people are close to each other in areas with more than 35 per 100,000 newly infected people per week. In areas with more than 50 per 100,000 people infected per week, public and private gatherings will be limited to 10 people.

Merkel acknowledged that the results of the meeting were not entirely satisfactory. There was no unanimity on whether to introduce a single ban on the movement of citizens by the so-called Risk Zones: areas where the number of infected per week exceeds 50 per 100,000 inhabitants. This issue will be discussed after the fall holidays, which started this week in some provinces. The chancellor called on young people to contribute to the fight against the pandemic by forgoing the party after several private celebrations have been cited as the cause of localized outbreaks of coronavirus in German cities.